Record control for recording machines



Feb. 6, R WOOD 1,945,716

I RECORD CONTROL FOR RECGRDING MACHINES Original Filed July 21, .1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6, 1934. R. H. WOOD RECORD CONTROL FOR RECORDING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 21, 1931 I l I l I I. 'lfN TOR.

REGINALD H W000 BY d (L -42mm A 'I'TURNHYS Patented Feb. 6, 1934 PATENT OFFICE RECORD CONTROL FOR RECORDING MACHINES Reginald H. Wood, Albany, N. Y., assignor to American Sales Book Company, Limited, To-

ronto, Canada, Canada a corporation of Ontario,

Application July 21, 1931, Serial No. 552,087 Renewed June 30, 1933 6 Claims. .(Cl. 282-4) This invention relates to improvements in writing machines, and more particularly to record controlling means for controlling and supporting the records for such machines in correctly 5 aligned position for the entry of manifold inscriptions.

It is a general object of the invention to provide for machines of the class mentioned, an improved guiding and supporting arrangement for the records whereby a separate and independent record card may be inserted and supported in correctly aligned manifolding registry with additional record strips preferably of the long continuous traveler type which are fed forwardly into inscription receiving position by appropriate feeding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide in record machines with feeding mechanisms of the cyclical type, an improved guiding and supporting arrangement for supporting a separate and independent record card such as a tabulating card or one generally known as a Hollerith card in aligned manifolding registry with predetermined parts of the record strips which have been'fed forwardly and checked in a predetermined aligned position by the cyclical feeding mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a manifolding machine of the autographic register type, an improved cover plate formed with supporting guides arranged in predetermined positions adjacent the opening through which the writing is entered upon the record strips, and functioning to guide and support an independent record card in aligned position with reference to the record strips whereby records may be simultaneously entered upon the strips and card by a transfer inscription, that is, by the use of transfer material.

Other objects of the invention will be, in part, pointed out in connection with the following detailed description of certain illustrative but preferred embodiments of the invention and will, in part, be obvious in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, parts being broken away and in section, of a record machine equipped with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, parts also being broken away for a clearer disclosure;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan showing a slight modification;

Fig. 4 is a section substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the manner of cooperation of the record elements.

Although the invention may be utilized with different types of record machines, it is herein disclosed for illustrative purposes in connection with an autographic register. Since the general features of this machine are well known to those skilled in the art, only a brief description thereof is necessary in order to set forth the relation and cooperation of the invention.

As shown, the register includes a casing having an interior compartment in which may be housed the record strips S conveniently folded into a zigzag supply pack S within the compartment and led therefrom over appropriate guides to the platen 10 whereon they are supported in the usual manner for the reception of inscriptions. At the forward end of the machine is the record strip feeding mechanism preferably of the cyclical feed type, that is, it is constructed and arranged to feed the record strips in predetermined cycles, advancing the strips a predetermined dis tance usually determined by the lengths of the form sheets or leaves of the record strips, and then terminate the strip advancement. In this manner the record strips herein disclosed of the long continuous traveler type are fed a predetermined distance and then checked in aligned writing position upon the platen, this feeding ordinarily being controlled automatically by the feeding mechanism.

The particular form of cyclical feeding mechanism herein disclosed embodies a rotary shaft 11 rotatably mounted in the casing and carrying feed discs 12, preferably two in number, mounted upon the shaft and spaced apart in accordance with the lateral spacing of the feed controlling apertures S2 formed in the record strips. Appropriate means may be provided for rotating this shaft, such as the exterior crank 13 in a position for convenient access. A stop 14 is positioned to lie in the path of the crank so as to check rotation of the feed discs after a predetermined movement thereof and being manually retractible or depressible so as to release the feed mechanism for beginning the next feeding cycle.

An upper pressure feed roll 15 is mounted in a roll housing 16 and provided with pressure springs (not shown) for pressing the roll surface into yielding engagement with the disc peripheries so as to grip the record strips to cause feed thereof. The housing may be mounted for swinging movement upon pivoted supporting arm 1'7, whereby the feed grip may be opened, the latch 18 being provided for holding it in operative po-' sition. It will thus be well understood that as the feed discs 12 are rotated, the record strips S are fed forwardly until the strip apertures S2 come into alignment with the feed grip, where.- upon each record strip will be checked in its for.- ward movement. The record strips will thus be brought into longitudinal alignment with each other with the respective blank forms thereof in superposed registry and in correct writing position upon the platen. This alignment will be normally effected before cessation of disc rotation because the disc peripheries are slightly greater than the form lengths. After such alignment, disc rotation will be checked by engagement of the crank with the stop 14. At this time the starting lugs 19 of the discs 12 will have come into engagement with the pressure roll 15, thus gripping the strips again to hold them in position and functioning to start the strips at the beginning of the next feed cycle and continuing to advance them until the apertures S2 have passed beyond the feed grip, whereupon the narrow feed discs 12 again engage the record strips. It will thus be seen that the record strips are checked at the termination of each feed cycle in aligned writing position upon the platen and that they are supported in such position by virtue of the lugs 19.

A record feeding mechanism of this general type is disclosed in the prior patent to Wiswall, No. 1,812,478 of June 30th, 193Q for Autographic registers, to which reference is had for a further disclosure of the feeding mechanism.

A cover plate 20 is supported upon the machine normally overlying the platen 10 and hinged to the casing at 21. This top or cover plate is provided at its forward end with an opening in alignment with the platen, with which the record strips and the blank forms thereof are in alignment at the end of the feed cycle, the blank forms being then normally exposed through the opening for the reception of the inscription. This may be accomplished manually or otherwise as desired. Carbon sheets C may be supported in any desired preferred manner so as to be interleaved between the record strips for the purpose of transferring the inscriptions. As shown, one of these carbon sheets is in position to overlie the top record sheet for a purpose described below. A clamp 22 is hinged at 23 to the free edge of the cover plate in position for clamping the forwardly extending ends of the carbon sheets.

Supports and guides 24 are provided on the under face of the cover plate 20 for the purpose of supporting an independent record card A in manifolding inscription position with the record strips upon the platen 10 and for guiding said card into position in which its blank form or record space is correctly aligned or in superposed registry with the record strip blank forms when the latter have been adjusted into their final writing position at the end of the feedin cycle. While these guides 24 may be formed integrally with the ve p h re h re n isclosed as being attached thereto to the lower face such as by soldering, welding, or brazing. The guides as shown may be in the form of downwardly extending flanges and they are positioned marginally of the cover opening, both at the forward and rearward margins thereof and also at one lateral margin (shown at the lower side of Fig. 2).

At its opposite lateral margin the inscription opening is enlarged or extended by cutting away or omitting the cover plate as shown at 25, thus providing an entrance slot or opening to facilitate the insertion and removal of the record card A. The card can readily be inserted into inscription position through this opening and after inscription its outer end is readily accessible so as to be removed.

For the purpose of guiding the record card into its correct record receiving position and for avoiding accidental movement thereof from such position, the guides 24 are proportioned and arranged so that the lower terminals thereof may be positioned closely adjacent to the upper surfaces of the record and carbon sheets so that ordinarily the space between the guides and records is small enough to minimize any tendency of the record card to become displaced by passing beneath the guides. In other words, the record card A is constrained by this arrangement to lie with its edges in abutting relation with the adjacent surfaces of the guides 24. The record card is thus not only guided into correct registering relation with the record strips but it is permanently maintained in such position during theinscribing operation or during feed of the record strips if the latter should be fed before the card is removed.

As above mentioned, the carbon C overlies the top record strip so that inscriptions made upon the card A will be transferred to the top record strip and alsoto the lower record strip by means of the lower carbon sheet. Of course it will be understood that as many record strips as desired may be utilized with a corresponding number of carbon sheets for effecting the mani folding inscriptions, two only being shown, to simplify the disclosure.

In the embodiment shown, the inscription opening is of a size substantially the same as the record card A and the guides 24 are positioned closely adjacent the opening margins but it will be understood that in appropriate cases the guides may, if desired, be spaced slightly from the opening margins. It will be noted that the guides 24 are arranged so as to position the record card A, both longitudinally and laterally in correctly registered position with the blank forms of the record strips. The form of strip feed mechanism disclosed correctly positions the record strip and the guides 24 correctly position the record card so that alignment of the record form of the latter with the record forms of the strips is always assured, and the inscriptions thus appear in their correct positions upon all of the forms.

In the modified arrangement suggested in Figs. 3 and 4, the cover plate 20 has an inscription opening arranged as above described and is likewise provided with marginal record card guides 24 arranged at three sides of the opening. However, the fourth margin is provided with a different arrangement for inserting and removing the record card A embodying a transverse marginal guide bar 26. and an outwardly spaced entrance slot 27 through which the card may be inserted and removed. A guide plate 28 appropriately attached to the cover plate also underlies this entrance slot so as to aid in the insertion of the card into correct position. Otherwise this modification is arranged and functions in the same manner as above described.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a manifolding machine, in combination, a cover plate forming the outside top plate of the machine and having an inscribing opening through which longitudinally movable continuous strips are exposed for reception of inscriptions and marginal guides for said opening for guiding and supporting a record card in aligned manifolding position with parts of the record strips exposed through said opening, said guides being positioned both forwardly and rearwardly and at one lateral margin of said cover plate opening and having downwardly extending contact surfaces positioned for contact engagement with the lateral and longitudinal edges of the record card so as to support said card in laterally and longitudinally aligned position.

2. In a manifolding machine, in combination, a cover plate forming the outside top plate of the machine and having an inscribing opening through which longitudinally movable continuous strips are exposed for reception of inscriptions, and marginal guides for said opening for guiding and supporting a record card in aligned manifolding position with parts of the record strips exposed through said opening, said guides being positioned at the inner surface of said cover plate and extending inwardly and terminating closely adjacent to the surface of the record strips when the cover plate is in operative position, said guides having contact surfaces adjacent the respective opening margins contacting the lateral and longitudinal edges of the record card and being also positioned both forwardly and rearwardly and at one lateral margin of said cover plate opening so as to engage the edges of the card to align it both laterally and longitudinally.

3. A cover plate for autographic registers forming the outside top plate of the register and having an inscription opening and having record card guides attached in stationary position on the cover plate and disposed marginally of said opening.

4. A cover plate for autographic registers having an inscription opening and having inwardly turned flanges attached in stationary position on the cover plate and positioned marginally of said opening both laterally and longitudinally thereof, and forming record card guides.

5. A cover plate for autographic registers having an inscription opening and having inwardly turned flanges attached in stationary position on the cover plate and positioned marginally of said opening both laterally and longitudinally there of and forming record card guides, and having an entrance slot spaced from said opening with an underlying record card guide, said cover plate having a guide bar intermediate said slot and said inscription opening.

6. In a manifolding machine, in combination, a top cover plate having an inscription opening, record card guides in fixed position upon said cover plate at the lateral and longitudinal margins of said opening, said cover having at one margin of said opening a card entrance slot, a card guide bar positioned between said entrance slot and said opening, and a guide plate carried by said cover plate and underlying said entrance slot and having its inner extremity adjacent said guide bar so as to guide the card in position in said inscription opening.

REGINALD H. WOOD. 

